Petunia plant named Sunsnow

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named `Sunsnow`, characterized by its white flowers that are slanted upwards; compact growth habit; decumbent and spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early flowering; very floriferous with numerous flowers per plant; and tolerance to rain, drought and temperature extremes.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia axillaris, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name Sunsnow.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Emerald, Victoria, Australia. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new Petunia cultivars having largeflowers, a spreading plant habit, and desirable flower colors.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor of theinventor's proprietary Petunia selection No. 131077 as the male orpollen parent with the inventor's proprietary Petunia selection No. 1016as the female or seed parent.

The cultivar Sunsnow was discovered and selected by the inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Emerald, Victoria, Australia. Asexual reproduction of thenew cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Emerald, Victoria, Australia,has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

The cultivar Sunsnow has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, anyvariance in genotype. The following observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in Emerald, Victoria,Australia, under commercial production conditions.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Sunsnow`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Sunsnow` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. White flowers that are slanted upwards.

2. Compact growth habit.

3. Decumbent and spreading plant habit.

4. Freely branching habit. Plants do not require pinching.

5. Early flowering.

6 Very floriferous with numerous flowers per plant.

7 Tolerant to rain, drought and temperature extremes.

The cultivar Sunsnow is similar in flower color to the Petunia cultivarRevolution White (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,768). The cultivarSunsnow differs from the cultivar Revolution White in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the cultivar Sunsnow are more upright and less spreadingthan plants of the cultivar Revolution White.

2. Leaves of the cultivar Sunsnow are elliptic to ovate in shape whereasleaves of the cultivar Revolution White are ovate in shape.

3. Leaves of the cultivar Sunsnow are shorter than leaves of thecultivar Revolution White.

4. Sepals of the cultivar Sunsnow are narrower than sepals of thecultivar Revolution White.

5. Plants of the cultivar Sunsnow have narrower corollas than plants ofthe cultivar Revolution White.

6. The flower throat color of plants of the cultivar Sunsnow is white tolight yellow green whereas the flower throat color of plants of thecultivar Revolution White is violet.

7. The stigma is level to the anthers on plants of the cultivar Sunsnowwhereas the stigma is level or below the anthers on plants of thecultivar Revolution White.

8. The filament color of plants of the cultivar Sunsnow is green whitewhereas the filament color of plants of the cultivar Revolution White iswhite.

9. The style color of plants of the cultivar Sunsnow is yellow greenwhereas the filament color of plants of the cultivar Revolution White isgreen white.

A detailed comparison of the cultivars Sunsnow and Revolution Whiteappears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalhanging basket plant of the cultivar Sunsnow.

The second photograph comprises a close-up view of individual flowers ofthe cultivar Sunsnow. Flower and foliage colors may appear differentthan the actual colors due to light reflectance.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHoritcultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Measurements are averagesfrom ten specimens selected at random from five plants.

Botanical classification: Petunia axillaris cultivar Sunsnow.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.--Petunia axillaris, inventor's proprietaryselection No. 113077.

Female or seed parent.--Petunia axillaris, inventor's proprietaryselection No. 1016.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About ten days at 21C soil temperature.

Rooting habit.--Numerous, fine, fibrous, and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.--Indeterminate, decumbent, diffuse spreading, viscid, glandularpubescent.

Branching habit.--Freely branching.

Plant height.--About 15.8 cm.

Plant width.--About 55 cm.

Vigor.--Low to moderate.

Crop time.--About nine weeks from a unrooted cutting to a 10.5-cmfinished and flowering container.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, sessile, andlong persisting. Leaves at first whorled, later alternate, somewhatfleshy. Size (largest leaves): Length: About 6.7 cm. Width: About 3.7cm. Thickness: About 1 mm. Shape: Elliptic to obovate. Aspect: Slantingupwards. Apex: Obtuse.Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Sparseto moderately pubescent. Color: Young foliage upper side: 137A. Youngfoliage under side: 147B. Mature foliage upper side: 137A. Maturefoliage under side: 147B.

Stem description.--Stems upright to spreading to one meter or more,hirsute. Stem diameter: About 3 mm. Internode length: Medium, about 2.3cm. Stem color: Green, 144A.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Large, single, salverform flowers, facingupwards, axillary. Calyx five-parted, petals united into a flower tube.

Natural flowering season.--Long day responsive, continuously flowersfrom spring through fall in Northern Hemisphere.

Quantity.--Numerous flowers per plant.

Corolla.--Diameter: About 6.2 cm. Height: About 5.5 cm. Flower tubewidth at distal end: About 1.7 cm. Petal quantity: Five, fused. Petalapex: Medium. Margin: Entire. Petal lobation: Medium. Undulation ofmargin: Medium. Texture: Pubescent on outside, smooth and satiny oninside. Color: Flower throat (inside): 155D/144C. Flower throat veincolor (inside): 144A. Flower tube color (outside): 155D with hints of144C. Flower tube vein color (outside): 144A. Petal color, inside: 155D.Petal vein color, inside: 144A. Petal color, outside: 155D. Petal veincolor, outside: 144A.

Sepals.--Quantity: Five.Size: Length: About 2.3 cm. Width: About 6.9 mm.Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture: Pubescent.Aspect: Horizontal. Color: Inside: 137B. Outside: 137C.

Pedicel.--Aspect: Upright. Size: Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 1.8mm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.--Stigma level with anthers, superior ovary.Stamens: Stamen number: Five, four are didymous.Anther color: Cream.Filament color: Green white. Pistils: Stigma color: Green. Style color:Yellow green.

Disease resistance: No known Petunia diseases observed to date.

Fruit and seed production: Rarely observed.

Fruit.--Capsule with two undivided valves.

Seeds.--Minute, spherical.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                                                    `REVOLUTION                                       CHARACTERISTIC  `SUNSNOW`   WHITE`                                            ______________________________________                                        PLANT HEIGHT    55 cm       38.8 cm                                           LEAF SHAPE      Elliptic to ovate                                                                         Ovate                                             LEAF LENGTH     6.7 cm      7.9 cm                                            SEPAL WIDTH     6.9 mm      9 mm                                              COROLLA DIAMETER                                                                              6.2 cm      6.6 cm                                            FLOWER THROAT COLOR                                                                           155D/144C   82B/82C                                           STIGMA RELATIVE TO                                                                            Level       Level to below                                    ANTHERS                                                                       FILAMENT COLOR  Green white White                                             STYLE COLOR     Yellow green                                                                              Green white                                       ______________________________________                                         PG,12                                                                     

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named`Sunsnow`, as illustrated and described.